Shadow of Doubt
by Ambrosyus
Summary: They say that good and evil are similar. Yin and Yang. Libra's precious scales that are used to maintain the balance. When evil is destroyed, another must rise to take it's place. When a hero is defeated; he passes on his legacy. Where evil once stood, another has taken it's throne. There is another hero on the rise, one unexpected twist has led this individual down another path.


_October 31st, 1980, Little Whinging, Surrey_

Quiet was the night on Private Drive, all except that damned cat that Mr. Vernon Dursley couldn't seem to shoo away. Nothing was amiss except for the slight stirrings of the branches in the wind and the cries of his four month old son who again was looking for attention from his perpetually loving parents. He, however did not see the figure standing at the end of his drive, looking up at the house in disgust.

"Hello, Professor McGonagall. I'm quite surprised to find you here. After all, I could have handled it on my own." The cat ignored him and continued its silent vigil of the Dursley home. The mysterious man did not speak another word and joined his feline companion in its observation. For a short time they stood there when the man observed a light down the street do out with a quiet _*pop*_.

"It seems as though the Headmaster finally made an appearance." He whispered. He strolled down the sidewalk unti l he came face to face with an old man. This was not just any old man, however. He had a long, flowing, white beard that came down to the middle of his waist. The man looked into those piercing blue eyes that peered behind half-moon spectacles that appeared to sit almost uniform on his face.

"Hello, old friend, it took you long enough."

"Oh, my dear Professor, I didn't realize you were there. Yes, I am a tiny bit late, but it was due to the many parties that were in order of the Dark One's defeat. It would have been rude of me to turn them down."

The man scoffed, and replied "You were always like that Headmaster. Come let's not dawdle and make Professor McGonagall wait any longer. You know she will want to tear into you with questions. It seems as though she does not have the full details."

As they got closer the older man stopped by the cat and smiled kindly. "I knew that you would be here, Professor McGonagall." Out of nowhere the cat changed forms, distorting into the form of an older, stern-looking woman. "Good evening, Professor Dumbledore."

"How are you this quiet evening, Minerva?"

"Very much intrigued for information since I was sitting on a brick wall all day."

"That's not very fun, Minerva. Yo should have been out celebrating like everyone else!" replied Dumbledore. "The Dark One is gone, defeated!"

"But is it true, Albus? James and Lily are dead?" Professor McGonagall asked silently pleading him that the rumors were not true."

Albus sighed "It is as we feared Minerva. James and Lily are both dead, but their son lives."

"Where is the boy, Headmaster?" asked the man.

"Hagrid is bringing him."

Professor McGonagall looked scandalized. "I know his heart is in the right place, but do you think it is wise to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"

"I agree with Professor McGonagall, Headmaster. He is very clumsy and talkative with such things. Why didn't you ask the boy's godfather to bring him? I'm sure Sirius would have been more than capable of bringing the boy here without incident."

"Sirius has been compromised, there's no telling what he will do now that there seems to have been a traitor in our midst. Their house was placed under the Fidelius Charm and none but the secret keeper could have been able to divulge where they were hiding."

A dull buzzing noise sounded from far away and the three professors looked around for the source. Far away in the sky there seemed to have been a bright light accompanying the buzzing sound. The three backed up onto the sidewalk as it got closer and once it touched down, they saw the enormous man riding a motorcycle. He was at least the height of three men and as wide as two.

"Quiet that thing, Rubeus, you'll wake the Muggles."

The giant looked sheepish as he turned the motorcycle off and swung one massive leg off the bike and lifted his goggles. " 'Ello Professors , I got the little tyke right here."

"Where did you get that monstrosity, Hagrid?" asked McGonagall.

"Borrowed I' from young Siruis, I di'. Jus' needs a little tunin' up isall. He says he won' need I' no more. He loved tha' thing."

"He's probably off doing something reckless now. He's a grown wizard, he can take care of himself" everyone ignored the man's outburst. "Let's see him, Hagrid."

Hagrid leaned down and moved the bright blue blanket so they can see the boy. Professor McGonagall pointed to the boy's forehead. "Is that where?..."

"Yes, I'm afraid so, Minerva. Nothing but the killing curse could have made such a scar."

"Do you have any idea how he survived, Headmaster?"

"A few, but now is not the time for that. Give me the boy, Hagrid." Sniffling, he gave professor Dumbledore the infant.

"There, there Hagrid." Professor McGongall patted Hagrid on the elbow. "Albus, you cannot be serious about leaving a defenseless child in the hands of these people? Take him to the Bones, the Weasely's, just not these Muggles. They are the—"

"Only family he has; for now that will be enough to protect him until he is ready to face a world where everyone will know his name. He's better off growing up away from all of that."

They watched as Albus lain the bundle of blankets on the doorstep and whispered. "Good luck, Harry Potter."

Hagrid jumped back on the bike and took to the skies again, in the direction of Hogwarts as McGonagall disappeared with a _*snap*_.

Now that they were alone, they walked along the road, with each light turning themselves back on, due to Dumbledore releasing that odd device of his. As they walked, he looked at the younger man next to him. He looked from his dark, raven hair to his even darker eyes, to his pale skin.

"I need you to look after him from the shadows if you must, but protect him. But for now, he needs to adjust."

"Don't worry Headmaster, even in his limited time of being alive, he has already done so much. I will protect him with my life." The man whispered as he rolled his elm wand between his fingers.

 _November 10_ _th_ _, 1980, Northern Scotland, Hogwarts, Staff Room_

"Good evening, Tom. May I join you?"

Tom Riddle looked up from the fire in the staff room to see Professor Minerva McGonagall staring at him with concern etched across her wizen face.

"Of course, Minerva, please sit." He gestured to the empty chair beside him.

"What has you so bothered, Tom? Is it the boy?" Professor McGonagall asked kindly.

"Partly. I still can't believe what went down between Sirius and Pettigrew. I don't get why Sirius would kill his best friend like that without any kind of hesitation. Also our enemies have been rather quiet lately after their master's defeat." Tom sighed heavily and sunk further into the comfortable armchair, racking his brains over what could be happening within the enemy ranks.

"I think you are looking into this too much, Tom. Just relax a little bit. The Dark Lord is gone and Harry Potter is safe."

But he couldn't. There has to be something that he and Professor Dumbledore are missing. For now, he has to keep his mind open. Out of nowhere, a large, brown screech owl flew through the window and landed on Tom's chair arm.

"It looks like it's been hastily written." He opened the scroll and read with speedy eyes that grew wider as he went on. He through the scroll to McGonagall and ran out the door shouting "Tell Albus to meet me at the Longbottoms'!"

Tom rushed his way to the gates beyond the castle grounds and Apparated to Frank and Alice's home, which was also supposed to be under the Fidelius Charm. He still saw flashes of lights brightening the walls through the window. Screams rent the air as he broke through the door.

"Lestrange, we really need to stop meeting like this." Tom caught the witch by surprise and she turned around to see his wand pointed at the four others in the room. He glanced to where Frank and Alice lay on the floor amongst the rubble and flinched. It seems the Cruciatus Curse had driven them insane. He looked closer and saw a bundle of blankets in Alice's arms and saw red.

"What are you going to do, Riddle? Your precious order isn't here to back you up nor is your Muggle-loving leader. We out number you four to one."

"I only need me to finish off you scum."

"That won't be necessary , Tom." The four others in the room twitched in fear as a cold fury entered the room in the frightening form of Albus Dumbledore.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The bolt of green magic flew past the calm Headmaster's head and he continued forward. Her companions joined her and the curses seemed to just miss him.

"Incarcerous."

Ropes flew from Albus' wand and wrapped themselves around his assailants. "You will be sent to Azkaban for the pain and suffering you have caused today. You will never again know the freedom you enjoyed under your master's rule."

The four disappeared as Albus turned to Riddle. "Thank you Tom for notifying me of the situation, but you should have waited for me. It was reckless of you to come here by yourself."

A faint cry sounded from the bundle of blankets in Alice's arms and Tom rushed to calm the tiny boy. "Shhh, Neville. All will be well, you'll see." Tom huddled the boy close to his chest and closed his eyes.

"Take him to his grandmother's house. She will need to look after him until he becomes of age."

"What about Frank and Alice?"

Silence fell between them and the feeling of cold, unchecked anger flowed from the old warlock.

"They will never be the same and they will never know their son's love or hear his laughter again. They will be forever stuck in a limbo of life and death; So close to the edge, but with beating hearts. I curse the day they created that curse."

Tom shivered as he felt Dumbledore's speech ring through him. Tom wrote to St. Mungo's to send healers and Apparated away from the horrible scene that he will never be able to eradicate from his mind.


End file.
